In Her Eyes
by Xielas
Summary: On his way home, Zuko becomes readily aware that he is on the receiving end of a horrible plot and ends up with unexpected people in places he never intended to be. Postfinale. Maiko. Prelude to When It's Over.
1. Homeward Bound

Disclaimer: Okay, new story. It should be better than the first...I hope. It's also going to be long. I will try to update weekly; it depends on how much I get done. This is a Maiko, but it is not going to be purely fluff. It is going to be considered a prelude to When It's Over because so many had questions about how Mai and Zuko got to where they were in that story. I don't own Avatar and I hope you enjoy.

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Zuko felt as though his legs were not connected to his body. He was walking towards the great Earth kingdom's throne alongside his sister, which seemed strange in the first place. He could not tear his mind from the look on Uncle Iroh's face as they led him away. As the young prince looked towards the center of the room he saw a pale, slender girl on her knees. She appeared to be carving out the hands and feet of the other girl, whose said limbs were stuck to the ground by rock. As they approached, the dark haired one finished breaking away the stone and stood, shaking her clothes of dirt. Both of them seemed familiar. As his memory nagged at him, he realized who they were. The insipid one was Mai and the other was Ty Lee. Of course, the first thing that came to his mind was being tricked into a fountain with the former. He smiles nervously as they turn and bow towards Azula, her gold eyes only meeting his for a fraction of a second. Her expression does not change and it unnerves him.

She was shocked, of course. Mai hasn't seen Zuko for years. She can't help but laugh a bit on the inside at seeing _the Fire Lord's_ son dressed in Earth kingdom garb and sporting a mess of a hairstyle. She can't say that she doesn't like it, though. Mai keeps face, bowing to Azula almost automatically, averting her eyes. She's attracted to him, she's sure. His scar of course is a flaw, hideous. Beautiful. Azula sashays to the throne, gracefully seating herself.

"That went well." She smirked and crossed her legs. "Now…down to business. We will have to establish some sort of temporary government, unless, of course, Father wants us to remain here. I sincerely hope that it does not come to that." The princess frowns. "If it goes as planned, we should be leaving within a week or two."

"We're going home?" Zuko's eyes lit up. His father was there, waiting.

"Where else, Zuzu?" Azula responded teasingly. She pushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "There is one and only one condition for you, brother. You cannot go anywhere near Uncle." Her voice rose ever so slightly. Zuko stiffened, but did not object. He had made his choice. Ty Lee was smiling nervously and Mai was content to stand there poker-faced. The prince lowered his head and turned to walk from the ornate throne room into the hallway.

"Mai, show him to his room."

Mai glided a good number of steps in front of him; usually he would have been offended. Under normal circumstances, he would have demanded _she_ walk behind him. It had been so long since he had escorts, he found that he didn't care.

"Why are you here?" Zuko said softly. For a moment it seemed that she hadn't hear him.

"So I could escape that sorry excuse for a city." Mai spoke flatly and kept walking.

"And this had nothing to do with patriotism?" he said bitterly, clearly referring to his sister. Mai faltered one step, glancing behind her shoulder at him.

"I know my duties. But no, not really." It seemed to shut him up. She didn't really like talking, even though something inside her was screaming 'You're right _in front_ of him!'

"Maybe this was a mistake." Zuko whispered, sure that she couldn't hear him. But she did. For some strange reason, it infuriated her. Perhaps it was because she had been raised to never question the authority of royalty. In any case, what he was saying directly contradicted everything that was taught at the academy and every word that left Azula's mouth. Why would he think siding with his own nation would be a mistake? It was insane. Mai stopped abruptly in the hall, pivoting on her heels to the right. Zuko watched as the pallid young woman threw open the door to what was presumably to be his chambers. She glowered at him while pointing into the room.

He entered and pretended to be interested in the green drapes. Zuko could feel her eyes on him as if they were daggers.

"You idiot." She said bitterly. His eye twitched and he turned to face her.

"What do you know?!" Zuko allowed his voice to grow in volume. He could feel heat rise to his cheeks. Mai did not seem to be affected by his outburst and simply scoffed.

"More than you."

"Is that so? Did you just betray your true father to a demon? Did you just destroy all the hope these people to have?" He held her gaze.

"Your father, is he?"

"More than Ozai ever was." He put his hand to the scarred side of his face.

"You can't be second guessing your decisions. You chose and it's final." Mai said hotly. A twinge of anger stabbed through her heart. "Are you siding with them now?" Zuko was taken back by her tone; he knew Mai was always soft spoken. Unless, of course, she was voicing her discontent. She was beyond discontent, that was certain.

"Have you ever considered that they might be right? That what the fire nation is doing could be wrong?" Zuko did not understand why he was telling her all of this. Arguing with a stranger is one of life's pleasures…or was it having tea with a stranger? In any case, he did not know this woman who was glowering fiercely. She did not respond, but opted to slam the door and storm down the hall. Zuko hopped onto the plush bed and grumbled into one of the many decorative pillows. Perhaps he was an idiot.

Mai purposely made her steps heavy. A childish way to express her anger, yes, but effective. _'How dare he? How DARE he?'_ her thoughts fumed. How could he side with the enemy? How could he even consider that his nation was _wrong_? Zuko had infuriated her more than she ever remembered being. He had put her in an awful mood and worst of all, he had made her think.

Zuko did not pay much attention to what was on the gilded plate that was set before him. He was still much too angry to want to eat. Azula was seated to his left the head of the table and Ty Lee was across from him giggling about Agni knows what. He saw Mai enter out of the corner of his eye. She glided to her place adjacent to Ty Lee, a slight pout on her lips. Zuko suddenly realized that he was attracted to the raven-haired lady who poked at her food. She wasn't particularly beautiful and there wasn't much there in the way of personality that he could see. Yet he could not help but be drawn to her. He'd forgotten about being mad. She clearly hadn't. Mai would not meet his eyes and every move she made was taut and deliberate.

"It got to where I couldn't think straight because all the blood had rushed to my head!" Ty Lee gesticulated animatedly, referring to being melded to the floor. Azula smiled and took a bite of rice.

"At least Mai was there to get you out."

"I thought about leaving her for a while." Mai smirked. Ty Lee laughed nervously, not quite sure how to take her comment. Azula grinned and stood.

"I'm going to bed." She announced, strutting all the way to the door. Zuko sighed and finally turned his attention to the food. He took a couple of bites and sank into the plush dining chair. What was he doing here? The prince put his fork down and left without a word. Mai's eyes followed him until he was out of sight. Disgruntled, she rose from her seat as well and left out of the same door he had used, leaving Ty Lee confused and alone.

Mai followed the hallway that led to Zuko's room. She couldn't let him get away with aggravating her so, not now. When she came to his door she turned and knocked softy. No answer. She knocked again, this time louder. _'Stubborn are we?'_ she thought bitterly. Mai turned gripped the handle and opened the door, stepping in slowly. The room was, to her surprise, empty. Several conclusions could be drawn; he was in the bath, had taken a walk, or was somewhere he had no business being. Her initial assumption was that he was walking to let off some steam, but as the hour grew late she began to wonder. Mai perched on the edge of the bed and waited. It was very dark when the door finally swung open and the prince entered. Zuko shot a tiny flame from his fingertips to light the candle on the nightstand. When it lit, he was startled to see Mai sitting on his bed watching like a hawk.

"What are you doing?" He gaped. Mai frowned.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" her eyes narrowed dangerously. She reached into her sleeve, running her fingers over the cool steel of her knives. He sighed and ruffled his hair.

"Do you really have to ask?" He said indignantly. She knew, he was sure. "Don't patronize me." Mai stood and straightened her earth kingdom robes. She sauntered to him.

"You know good and well that she'll have your head if she found out." Visiting Iroh was strictly taboo. "What were you thinking?" Mai said monotonously. Zuko turned to look out the window, sighing heavily.

"And you'd tell her?" He said quietly. _Ah, a confession._

"That's my business." She let a dagger slip into her palm. "Do you remember when we were kids?" Mai looked Zuko in the eyes, suddenly changing the subject. Zuko did not answer. '_Stubborn.'_ She leaned in fiercely, her nose inches from his. The assassin flashed a frown and pressed her lips firmly against his. It was as if Zuko's reaction was magnetic. He returned her kiss without hesitation. Mai inhaled and touched her lips to his once more. She loved the way he smelled; like tealeaves, ashes, and citrus. He was disappointed when she pulled away, which surprised him. "Do you remember now?"

Zuko stood there, slightly in shock, as Mai made her way to the door. She did not look back at him, but simply walked down the hall to her own room. When she was out of sight, Zuko plopped down onto his bed, heart beating loudly. He was confused, tired, and so alive all at once. The prince tore back the covers from the bed and curled underneath, breathing out the single candle.

_Water was absolutely everywhere. Zuko looks around in the foggy, blue sea. He feels something slither past him, brushing against his legs. He squints, trying to see past all the water. An explosion of bubbles surrounds him and he sees jaws racing towards him. The blue dragon screeches and engulfs him._

The sunlight that streamed through the window was blistering on Zuko's face. He sat straight up the moment his eyes snapped open. Breathing heavily, he wiped the sweat from his brow. The distressed prince lifted himself from the bed and dressed, powerless to stop thinking about the dream. The knock on the door is welcome, for it tears his mind away from the nightmare. Zuko opened the door to find one of the Dai Li.

"The Princess wants you in the throne room." He said listlessly before making his way down the hall to Mai's room, presumably to give her the same message. Zuko decided it would be best for him to not be late and walked briskly to the glorious throne room.

"Sleep well, brother?" Azula said teasingly as Zuko approached the throne. He ignored her comments as well as the nagging voice in the back of his mind. _'She knows you didn't!'_ He was just being paranoid. Mai and Ty Lee walked up beside him, slightly bowing to both royalties.

"I've decided to let you go on ahead of us home, Zuko." Azula smiled. Ty Lee flashed a confused glance at Mai, and then redirected her attention to the princess. Zuko's eyes were wide with surprise. "What? Don't you want some father-son time without me there?" She toyed.

"Ye…Yes!" He stammered. Azula stood, smiling away, and retrieved a scroll for the small desk to her right.

"These are the procedures. You will leave this evening for the peninsula on one of our fastest tank trains. You should arrive at the shore within forty-eight hours of your departure if you do not stop, as planned. Then you will take a small escort ship home. That's the boring part." She handed him the scroll. "You can go now."

"Th…thank you, Azula." Zuko smiled at his sister for the first time he could recollect. She waved him on, rolling her eyes. Mai and Ty Lee looked to Azula, both somewhat confused. As soon as the door closed behind Zuko, the princess's expression sharpened.

"Now, I'm sure you two are curious. Zuko's been cooperative so far, for the most part. However, he did some cell-visiting last night." She eyed Mai. "I've been given authority to eliminate whatever gets in the way of the fire nation's goals. Zuko is an obstacle. Do you follow?" The question was rhetorical. "Zuzu will not make it home, I'm afraid." Azula put on a fake pout, pursing her scarlet lips. "It's not the most desirable option, but what must be done must be done." The two girls nodded slowly. Mai's heart hammered in her chest and she could feel blood rushing into her head. She couldn't just _tell_ him. Azula would have her head as well. What could she do?

"I expect both of you to be there at his departure." Azula laughed.

Could this really be happening to him? Zuko was dashing about his room throwing what little personal effects he had. Dual swords, _clink_, in the suitcase. _Whoosh_, his black "stealth" suit joined them. He placed his earth kingdom passport with his alias, Lee, penned neatly on it. For memories' sake, he supposed. His life was changing again and it all felt so surreal. Zuko had waited and waited for the chance to go home proud, with honor. Now he was doing just that.

Mai shuffled down the dank hallway that let to the prison cells. She had intercepted the Dai Li taking Iroh his midday meal and insisted that she take it to him. The agent did not argue, but seemed relieved that he did not have to go and listen to the old man's stories or be forced into a game of Pai Sho. Mai's steps rang in her ears, each footfall slapping the stone floor loudly. She shoved the key into the lock and entered the cell. Iroh seemed to light up.

"What a nice surprise! It's not everyday a beautiful lady comes to visit." He smiled warmly. How he could be so jubilant was beyond her. Mai placed the tray of food on the small table that occupied the room. "What brings you here, Lady Mai?"

"You may be hearing some unpleasant things in the next few days," She frowned, "but know that no matter what they say, your nephew is fine." Crouching down, she put her fist in Iroh's hand and let the trinket fall into his open palm. A key.

"Have a nice trip, Zuko!" Ty Lee clasped her hands together in a farewell. Standing on the steps was Azula, who waved at her brother. Zuko was heading towards the gate, bag slung over his shoulder. He looked back and waved, scanning the area for a glimpse of Mai; however, she was nowhere to be seen. Zuko could not help but be disappointed. He would not see Mai for several weeks, most likely. He didn't mind having to walk to the outer wall to meet the tank train; obviously it would cause a panic if brought into the city. He was thankful for some time to think and walk off some of the emotions that had built up over the past few days. When he reached to wall and came to the train, prince Zuko was more ready than he had ever been to meet his father.

Mai didn't particularly regret her choice, but she did wish that she had planned it more. She supposed it could have been better had she had more than half a day to prepare. Ah, well. She was, at present, sitting in the last car of the train. Usually it kept their mongoose dragons, but it was empty now. She tossed her head back and leaned on the cool metal. If her assumptions were correct, Ty Lee would not find her note for at least a day. It was a start. Mai sighed and tossed a dagger into the darkness, catching it without even looking.

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	2. Lost

Disclaimer: Here's the second chapter! Ooo...the soup thickens:D I still don't own Avatar. :0

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The trip had taken longer than expected. To his own surprise, he was only _slightly_ annoyed. After fifty-two hours in the tank train, non-stop mind you, prince Zuko could see the ocean on the horizon. On that horizon, he could see an escort ship, one slightly larger than the one he had before his banishment. It was a familiar sight and anticipation wracked his gut. Standing there on the platform, the wind rushing through his hair, Zuko felt the reality sink in. He was going _home. _He would see his father again after such a long time. It forced an array of emotions he could not accurately describe to raise to the surface. The sound of his feet plodding on the cold metal of the ship was all too familiar; it was a sound that brought him home.

As quickly as his elated state had risen, it came crashing down again. Memories of Iroh, thoughts of Song and Jin, the Avatar, the water bending girl, and lastly, of Mai, struck his mind with tremendous strength. They washed over him with a supernatural force that revived the turmoil and dampened his mood. Strangely, women dominated his thoughts. He had never thought much about members of the opposite sex. Azula was always the basis for his opinion on girls; a very poor basis, he might add. Girls are crazy, that's all there was to it. Until he met Song and then Jin, that is. Jin was his first kiss, a bright, kind girl. But they could never be. Especially since he was officially fire nation again. Perhaps if he hadn't been so dense, it could have worked. But not now. Zuko stood stiffly as the ship began its voyage. He watched the earth kingdom grow smaller and smaller until the tiny blip of land was gone. Zuko turned and entered the hull and retired to his cabin.

It was all too familiar. Laid on his bed was a set of fire nation armor, much like the one he had discarded. Seeing it surprised him and the idea of wearing it seemed awkward. Zuko had grown fond of his earth kingdom togs and wasn't looking forward to returning to stuffy fire nation garb. So he didn't. Zuko removed the weighty red armor from his bed and plopped down, burying his face in the burgundy silk pillows. He breathed steadily, taking in their scent, the smell of home. Though he did not intend to, Zuko drifted off into a calm slumber. He gave into drowsiness and received the best sleep he had had in a long, long time.

When Zuko awoke, he was immediately aware that it was night. Also brought to his attention was the fact that the ship was eerily silent. Sure, the metal creaked and occasionally bonged, but the sound of voices was curiously absent. He rose from the bed and reached for the door. The hallway was empty, as was the deck. The nighttime wind ruffled his hair as Zuko looked to the horizon. For a moment, he could have sworn that there was a glow coming for a distance away. Ships, perhaps. If so, they disappeared quickly and he could not be certain as to what they were. He was turning to inspect the rest of the vessel, but a voice stopped him cold.

"They're gone." He knew before he even saw that it was Mai. She looked somewhat distraught, her eyebrows raised in slight concern. Zuko wasn't just confused, but was baffled as well.

"What are you doing here?" He said in surprise. Mai came to him quickly.

"We don't have much time, Zuko." It was one of the only times she had ever addressed him using his name. It was serious. "This is all a fraud. Azula never intended for you to make it home." She said it as if it were a simple concept. Prince Zuko spiraled into denial.

"But…" Then it hit him just as Mai said it.

"_Azula always lies."_

"We have to go." Urgency spiked her words.

"Go? Go where?" She took his hand in hers, lacing her fingers tightly with his.

"Just run!" The two of them raced towards the edge of the ship. When Zuko's feet left the vessel, he was confronted with panic. Was she crazy? Or was he for jumping off of his escort into the sea below? The moment they hit the water, the chill of the ocean jolted their bones. The shock was eased by the heat that rushed at them from the surface. Zuko opened his eyes for a fraction of a second and saw something he was not prepared for. Molten metal and shrapnel was plunging into the depths after them. He could not make his legs move to bring him to the surface. His lungs were burning, screaming in agony for air. But his limbs would not respond. Zuko became light-headed and mere seconds later everything went black.

When he was snatched from what he was sure was the clutches of death, Zuko was back on the surface. In fact, he was laying on his back floating on what could only be the remains of a large wooden crate. He then noticed Mai, still partially in the water, eyes closed. Her hair was a mess and she looked positively exhausted. Zuko concluded that she had saved his life… twice. But why? He stared at her for a while. She must have been dozing because several times he had to make sure she did not slip off the crate. The prince took the opportunity to observe Mai. Pouty lips, concentrated brows, slender neck; Mai didn't have typical beauty. Then again, she was anything but typical. She woke with a start and Zuko grabbed her arms and pulled her from the water onto their makeshift craft. She wiped salt from her lips with an equally briny sleeve. Not much good that did. Mai coughed and shifted to balance the slab. Zuko tore his eyes from her when she spoke.

"Thank Agni."

"Thank you." The boldness of his statement astounded him. Zeal was not usually one of his characterizations. Mai attempted to smile, though it came out as more of a grimace. She grabbed a pigtail and wrung the water out of it, annoyed.

"Now what?" Zuko said quietly. She nodded, acknowledging his inquiry. Mai swallowed before answering.

"I heard there were some water tribe ships in this area while we were in the port. We're too far from shore to try and swim and if we just floated it would be days until we could reach land." She steadied her breathing, exhausted. "We can only pray that one will come by. Better to be in the hands of enemies than to die out here."

He had never heard her say so much in one sitting. Zuko sighed and looked at Mai in the eyes. She pursed her lips as if she was going to say something, but decided that no words were needed. Prince Zuko placed his hand over hers tenderly and waited in silence.

The hours crept by. They spent most of their time observing their surroundings and thinking to themselves. Mai preferred it that way. She couldn't tell what Zuko was thinking and it unnerved her; she was used to having the upper hand. In any case, she wasn't about to ask him right out what his thoughts were. It would be rude and very nosey, something she refused to be. Thus, she did what she did best, aside from being an assassin. She was bored.

Zuko had lost all notion of time when they say the first ship. It could have been hours, days; maybe it had been a week. He didn't know, nor did he care. They were water tribe ships, that much was evident. Their blue sails caught Zuko's eye, even against the azure sky. He woke Mai, for it was almost dawn.

"Look, Mai." Zuko pointed to the vessel, a smile played on his lips. Mai, not being a morning person, grumbled. That is, until she took the time to see what he was pointing at. She smirked and together they stood. It was horribly difficult to keep balanced, but they managed to, even as the ship finally sailed closely by them. Whoever was the one steering was smart, for he gave them a wide berth; otherwise it would have toppled their plank. They warriors on deck eyed the two drifters curiously and did not react until their captain came.

He was older, perhaps in his later thirties or forties. He wore his hair pulled into a warrior's wolf tail with an additional dread on the right side of his face. The captain's facial hair was tidy and he wore a summer tunic of the water tribe. His blue eyes were sharp and wise, though clear laugh-lines accented them.

"Can you swim?" He called out; his voice was gentle and commanding, the voice of a father. Zuko looked to Mai, who held his gaze.

"Yes!" Zuko called back, nodding his head in the direction of the boat. He dove off the raft and was soon followed by Mai. It was perhaps a good twenty yards to the ship, but Zuko ignored the stiffness in his legs. They had been rescued! They were pulled into the ship by a handful of warriors and were given dry blankets almost immediately.

"I am the captain of this ship, Hakoda of the water tribe." He bowed politely. Zuko returned his courtesy and bowed. "And who might you be?"

Before he could answer, one of the warriors exclaimed loudly, "I recognize him! He's the prince of the fire nation!" Hakoda eyed Zuko curiously, calculating and evaluating. He considered the fact that this scarred boy did not deny it and concluded that he was the prince. Hakoda frowned.

"Is that right?" His voice was somehow calming, even though Zuko was certain it was not meant to be. There was no sense in lying at this point.

"Yes, it is." Zuko knew he sounded far too confident. To both their, Zuko and Mai's, surprise, they were not jumped, bound, or gagged.

"The _banished_ prince, yes?" Hakoda raised a brow. Zuko nodded slowly. "Well, I've heard some about you. The fire nation is hunting you like they do everyone else. Prince…Zuko, correct?" This water tribe captain was incredibly well spoken. Zuko spoke calmly.

"Yes."

"And your lady friend?" Hakoda nodded in Mai's direction. She forced a smile on her slightly sunburned face.

"This is Mai…" Zuko announced, "Another exile now, I suppose." Hakoda appeared to be intrigued.

"Care to tell us how you end up here?" the captain motioned to his crew. "Perhaps in a more comfortable setting, though." He pointed to the cabin. Zuko followed Hakoda and Mai trailed behind listlessly.

"So, the Princess wanted you dead and blew up your escort? And Lady Mai here," Hakoda recited what he had been told, "Snuck along to warn you? Then you drifted at sea for who knows how long?" He had no knowledge of the fall of Ba Sing Se until Zuko had told him grudgingly. He could only pray that his son was all right.

"That's right." Zuko confirmed. They were seated around a low table on indigo cushions in the captain's cabin. Mai did not interject much into Zuko's telling of the tale. She sat and listened intently, though. Ever alert, she was.

"Well, considering you aren't exactly an enemy," Hakoda began, "You can sail with us until we make port at Kyoshi Island. Once we arrive, you will be supplied with some essentials, but you must get off. We can't be carrying noncombatants around the open seas."

Zuko nodded, glad that this man was capable and understanding. Not many would accept a former fire nation prince's word. Mai looked at him from across the table, holding his gaze with her eyes. It was late in the afternoon and he could tell that she was exhausted. Hakoda apparently saw the same fatigue in Zuko, for he offered to let them sleep in his cabin. The invitation was welcome and two futons were arranged on the floor.

"Sleep well, my friends." Hakoda said, closing the door behind him. Mai lay down on her pallet, falling to her side with an exhausted thud. She faced away from Zuko, who was settling into his own bed. Both of them were far too exhausted to attempt to talk, it was an understood agreement. Soon, both the prince and companion were fast asleep, at last able to dream serenely.

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"What?!" Azula thundered so loudly that Ty Lee was sure her hearing capacity had decreased.

"I swear, Azula! I found it three whole days after they left!" the acrobat pleaded. The scowl that contorted the princess's face was one like no other. The crumpled letter, well former letter, lay in ashes at her feet accompanied by the remains of a drape, a silk throw pillow, and an unfortunate Dai Li's hat. Azula could not even begin to voice her fury; it was like never before. Ty Lee looked up from her position prostrate before the throne.

"Are they…?" She squeaked. Azula glowered.

"Either they are both dead or both alive. If they are alive, we're going to end up in a major bind. If they're dead, they were both traitors in the end." The princess said bitterly. "We will leave for the fire nation tonight. And get Uncle up here."

Ty Lee returned several minutes later, a fearful expression on her usually cheery face.

"He's gone."

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Please, Please review! Thanks! 


	3. Whispers

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Avatar. Nice try, though.

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It was late afternoon the next day before Kyoshi Island came into sight. Zuko and Mai had spent the morning resting and chatting occasionally with Hakoda. Zuko was in an optimistic mood, a rare one for him. They'd been rescued, after all. He would smile at the warriors as he passed them on the ship, but tried not to distract them from their business. The young prince decided to join Mai at the bow of the ship. Being in a daring humor, he came to her from behind and slipped his arm loosely about her waist. Mai's neck snapped to the side, startled. Her eyes grew wide.

"What are you doing?" Her blank eyes questioned his. Zuko, coming to some sense, removed his hand and coughed. _What was I thinking?_

"We'll be back on land soon. Any ideas on where we go from there?" Prince Zuko covered up the awkwardness quickly. Despite his quick thinking, Mai was not a fool. She brought her face to her hands and sighed.

"I suppose we'll have to find some way to get home on our own terms." The way she said _'our'_ made him nervous and he wasn't sure why. Zuko forced a nervous smile.

"Do you think if we sided with them…it would be okay?" Mai was questioning every doctrine she had ever known. 'The fire nation is supreme.' 'The strong live and the weak die, so you must be strong.' Every single word of propaganda was examined in her mind.

'_It's all lies.'_ The thought seemed to come out of nowhere. At that moment she noticed that Zuko was staring at her. What was it about him?

"Nothing will make _everything_ right." Zuko's eyes glinted with determination. "But we can try. The Avatar might be dead because…because of me." He looked away. Again he found himself here, pouring his inner most thought out to a woman he barely knew. What was he thinking? Suddenly, Zuko was aware that the shore was awfully close. Hakoda knew was he was doing, of course. These boats were designed land on the shore just as the smaller skiffs would. In fact, Zuko had no reason to worry; he barely felt it when the vessel scrapped the bottom of the shore and skidded gracefully onto the beach. The young prince turned to see the captain making his way towards them, a fatherly smile on his russet face.

"Here we are. Kyoshi Island." Hakoda announced, gesturing to the land before them. "I can take you to the town, but then we must be on our way." Nodding in agreement, Zuko shook hands with the water tribe captain and thanked him.

When they saw the statue, Mai knew why the name "Kyoshi" was familiar. The warriors whose clothes they, Azula, Ty Lee, and herself, had taken were from Kyoshi Island, hence the name. Guilt tugged at her gut in a way she had never experienced before. Mai scowled; was this actually _remorse_ she felt? She felt sick to her stomach.

Zuko, on the other hand, thought of one thing when he saw the green and gold monument. That thing was the Avatar. The question that had plagued his thoughts for the past few days came up again. _'Have I killed the world's only hope?'_ Of course, Azula was the one who did the physical damage…but had it not been for him, she would have been defeated. If he hadn't been so boorish and stupid, they wouldn't be in this situation.

The young prince frowned and gave himself several abrupt mental kicks before Hakoda spoke.

"Well, I'd better be off. There should be enough to help you get by in those bags," he smiled warmly. "Good luck, and if you see my son, please tell him that I am so very proud." Hakoda waved and disappeared over the hill, making his way back towards the ship.

The town was eerily quiet; there was virtually no one bustling about doing daily errands. Though Zuko led, neither of them had any idea where to go. The two took to walking the main street up and down twice and then heading to a building rested on the crest of a mountain overlooking the city. It appeared to be a dojo of some sort. Poking his head through the door, Zuko was surprised at what he saw. There were no warriors training, but about a dozen women lay on pallets all around the room. Two were crouched near a patient, apparently redressing a wound. The injured ones' festive facial paint was smeared and pain beset their faces. It was an unpleasant, frightening sight.

"What happened here?" Zuko breathed. The warriors serving as nurses turned to the door, but did not respond.

"She happened." The voice came from a woman in the futon closest to them. She was sitting with her back against the wall, but was also wincing in pain. Her grey-blue eyes were looking dead at Mai and it made Zuko incredibly uncomfortable. "She attacked us with the fire nation princess and another." The warrior hid the fault in her voice. "They took our clothes and we were left for dead." Her words were harsh and sent chills down Zuko's spine. He turned to Mai and spoke softly.

"So this is how you got into Ba Sing Se…you pretended to be them." This was not something unexpected of Azula, though he was considerably ticked off. Seeing these warriors laying in agony sent jolts of outrage through his body. _They were people._ It was not every day that a prince saw the aftermath of battle. She could see the sharpness in his eyes, but she did not move. Mai could outlast the best of them and she held Zuko's gaze with just as much intensity as he did hers. Only a sharp gasp from the warrior distracted their battle of stubbornness. The girl's face twisted with pain, her eyes became glossy with tears.

"Who are you?" Zuko asked her calmly. "And how did you manage to get back here?" The young woman sighed and put her face in her hands. After a moment of silence, she tossed her head back and replied.

"I am the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki. After our…defeat, they took our clothes and left. Hours passed, then a day or two." Though she was not intent on making Mai feel positively awful about it, Suki recalled the event in detail. "Every joint was crying out in agony, blood was seeping from the gashes and burns…" Her auburn hair drooped in her face and her eyes grew wide. Zuko saw a tear slip from the corner of her eye. "Some travelers found us, and were able to lead the way to the peninsula. Then we returned here. Some of us." It was then that he noticed that this Suki was only clothed in a wide bandage around her chest and midsection. He could see blood seeping through what was probably a large gash on her back. Zuko turned; he had no desire to stare at this beaten warrior. Mai was not in the doorway, nor was she anywhere in sight. Zuko didn't think much of it and crouched down next to Suki.

"She is not your enemy now." He said softly, referring to Mai. "But were are all enemies of Azula. It seems that we have all just narrowly escaped certain death at her hand." Then he added, "She blew up my ship…I thought I was heading home." He was telling her this more to comfort her than to inform. They, he and Mai, did not need to make enemies; they already had plenty. Suki stared at him for a few minutes, looking past him and into his mind.

"You're Zuko." She said blankly.

"And I wouldn't be here had it not been for Azula and her deceit. I have no reason to lie to you." His voice lacked compassion now. It appeared that Suki believed him, though was still apprehensive about Mai. At that moment, Mai returned and stood over Zuko. She stared down at them and spoke for the first time.

"If it were any different, I would not be with him."

Suki nodded to concur. It was very awkward; Mai was certainly not going to apologize, Suki seemed to be skeptical of them, too. But then again, who wouldn't be? Not only were they fire nation, but also Mai was responsible for _killing_ this warrior's friends. It would be a miracle if she forgave them.

"I guess we should be going." Zuko said after a time. To his surprise, Suki slowly stood. She donned a green and gold robe carefully and spoke.

"It's too late for you to start traveling again. You can stay one of our barns for the night." The sun was indeed setting, Zuko noticed. How could she offer them shelter? Mai stared with disbelief. "Do not let the sun set on while you are still angry." Suki sniffed.

'_Truly a honorable woman…'_ Mai thought. This must have been the Suki that the water tribe boy, Hakoda's son, was speaking of when they were found to be false Kyoshi warriors in Ba Sing Se. Here she was, delicately smiling at them even though she struggled to stand.

"Thank you." Zuko barely whispered.

"I can take you there, but it might take a little longer than usual." She shuffled to the doorway, arm wrapped around her own waist. Zuko guessed that the warriors/nurses figured Suki could take care of herself, for they did not try to stop her from leaving.

"Uh…let me help you…" Zuko said nervously, reaching after her as she walked. Glancing over her shoulder, Suki smiled sadly and accepted.

The barn house was only a three-minute walk from the dojo and was in good condition. Hay was spread about in piles around and a pit that could be used for a fire was in the center of the barn. Zuko had climbed to the top of the single ladder to the loft and tossed down some blankets. Suki had told him that they were there, of course, and said that someone would bring them dinner. Mai pulled her outside and spoke for a while; Zuko decided it was not his business and took to starting the fire. Mai returned in a somewhat better disposition, which, in turn, improved his.

"We'll have to leave in the morning." She said plainly, taking a seat near him. He took a bite of the rice that had just been brought.

"Yes."

Mai brought her cup of herbal tea to her lips, the steam warming her chilled face. Nights on Kyoshi tended to be wintry considering their proximity to the South Pole. Silence, Zuko noticed, was starting to be a common thing between them. He also became aware that he didn't mind and it seemed that neither did Mai. Her eyes glistened in the light of the fire, flames dancing across them. After a moment, Mai brought her legs to her chest, hugging her knees tightly. With a '_plink'_, Zuko returned his rice bowl to the tray and scooted closer to her. She rested her chin on the tops of her knees, eyeing the prince curiously.

"So…what do you think about this war now?" He asked gently. A deep sigh escaped Mai's lips. She slowly closed her eyes and reopened them, eyelashes making light, spindly shadows on her cheeks. The assassin's lips pursed and she spoke almost inaudibly.

"Azula always lies." The reality of that truth was sinking in. After years of avoiding it, Mai understood what lies and deceit she played into as a child and even now. It was all propaganda, brainwashing. She stared blankly into Zuko's golden eyes. Warmth filled them and Mai wished that should could dive into those luminous pools of amber and be lost forever. Not that she would admit it; she'd rather face an angry badger mole. That's who she was, the quiet girl who blended into the background, blushing and hiding. Zuko inched closer and closer to her until their shoulders touched. Dare he go even closer? Mai was like that forbidden realm, beyond the reach of mortal men. Yes, yes he would dare. He brushed her hair back and ran his fingers over the nape of her neck.

She prayed he did not notice when she held her breath, that maybe he was oblivious to the heat that rose in her cheeks. Mai closed her eyes again. The prince smiled and breathed into her hair.

"Yes, yes she does."

Perhaps it was the moment. Perhaps it was fatigue. Either way, Mai and Zuko found themselves huddled under a wool blanket, the later whispered softly into the other's ear until they succumbed to the pulls of sleep. It certainly felt real enough. Perhaps her childish dreams were coming true. Or perhaps it was yet another lie.

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Ooo...the romantic tension! Please review! 


	4. Decisions

Disclaimer: Okay, this took me longer than expected. I hope you enjoy it and have fun waiting for the next chapter! I don't own Avatar.

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When Zuko awoke, he was certain of two things. One, the hay he was laying on was growing increasingly itchy by the second. Second, Mai was no longer next to him. Upon being aware of the second, dread flooded his mind. Where had she gone? Surely she hadn't left. He thought foolishly of himself when the door to the rustic barn creaked open. Mai stared at him, startled. She hadn't expected him to be awake. Zuko noticed that she was barefooted and her hair was dripping wet.

"Uh…where did you go?" He asked dumbly, puzzled. Mai snorted and slunk into the room.

"To take a bath." She was annoyed; he could recognize the vehemence in her voice. It also seemed that Mai had taken the liberty of washing the earth kingdom clothes that she hated so. Compared to his salt-encrusted tunic, hers was the epitome of clean. Zuko finally stood, brushing dirt and hay from his robes.

To her, he was perfect this way. The prince's hair was unruly, he smelled of the earth, and he had creases on his face and arms from lying on hay all night. He looked positively ridiculous. Mai willed herself to walk towards the fire pit and retrieve her shoes. She sat down, ignoring Zuko, and slipped them onto her feet. Then with great deliberation, she began the task of styling her black, shiny hair.

He had always wondered how exactly she did it, and here she was performing the girlish ritual in person. Zuko's eyes followed her hands as she knotted her hair into buns and pulled strands here and there. He couldn't help thinking that he could never, ever doing something like that to his hair so quickly, so flawlessly. Women were strange indeed. Zuko then decided that he didn't want her to know he was watching her execute her morning routine, so he took to rolling the blanket into a bundle and tidying up around the center fire pit. At about the same time Mai stood, through arranging her hair, the barn door creaked open. Suki's head appeared, followed by her body. She walked smartly, a more obvious smile on her face now.

"I know that you were planning on leaving today, but word's gotten around that the Avatar is coming here. Soon."

"The Avatar…is alive?" Zuko stammered; he prayed that it was true. Otherwise, he was certain that guilt would swallow him. Suki smiled as though she were about to burst.

"Yes. Yes, he is. I think it would be good for you to stay." She turned as left with a bit of a pep in her step, even though she stumbled slightly, Zuko noticed. He wheeled, looking to Mai. She only stared; she clearly wasn't as relieved as he was.

"Are you sure you want to stay? They'll likely try to kill you."

The thought _had_ occurred to him, though he had chosen to ignore it.

"But if we leave, we'll be going back home anyway, yes? We can't just stop trying and fade into the background. It would be better to meet them here and see rather than at the fire nation." It made sense, really. It would certainly make them seem more suspicious; showing up on enemy territory claiming to want a truce. That would make them laugh for sure. Laugh right before bending them into oblivion. Real fun.

Mai waited a moment, mulling over his words.

"You may have a point." Zuko put forth a half-hearted smile, glad that Mai could see it his way. She brought her hand to one pigtail, biting her lip.

"So we stay?" Mai brought her eyes up to his. Zuko hesitated, and then finally decided.

"Yes, we stay."

The morning went by slowly, almost excruciatingly so. That is, of course, until a horde of stampeding adolescent girls made their way to the Unagi's bay as fast as their tiny legs could take them. This apparently was the sign Suki had mentioned; they would know when the Avatar had arrived when the town was emptied of its tiny resident females. Zuko couldn't help thinking that there was a reason that these people adored him so. The Avatar was their salvation, here to sweep them off their feet, away from the tyrant fire nation. It had been Mai's idea, and preference that they stay with the Kyoshi warriors, reasons being: one, to appear non-threatening among mutual allies and two, so they wouldn't disrupt the children's girlish glee with an imminent battle.

Mai could see the anticipation tying knots in Zuko's stomach. He knew that he would have to remain civil and not retaliate. The same went for her. There was no way to gauge how the Avatar and his crew would react. They were totally playing by ear on this one.

There was no doubt about who was responsible for the footsteps outside. Zuko sighed; there was no avoiding it now. He was crouched over one of the warriors, serving her some tea. Whether it was to seem hospitable or docile, he was not sure. Perhaps it was both. Mai simply stood to his right, leaning on the wall. In any case, the expression that washed over Avatar Aang's face was beggaring description. First it was surprise, of course. Then anger. Zuko rose to his feet, keeping his temper in check, and turned to face the crowd.

"Zuko!" It was Katara. That was her name, wasn't it?

"Ughh…why does this keep happening?" The water tribe boy groaned. Sokka. Hakoda's son. It was then that they noticed Mai.

"Oh, I suppose Azula and that circus freak are here too?" Apparently they had failed to notice that Zuko was actually _helping_ the Kyoshi warriors.

"No. They're not." Mai said passively, her hands limp by her sides. Katara was reaching for her bending water, Zuko saw. The prince resisted the urge to take a fighting stance. He must have blinked, because all of the sudden, Mai was standing infront of him, breaking foot long icicles across her thigh. Katara was stunned. Not only had this woman _caught_ the frozen daggers, but also she had not retaliated with those stilettos of hers.

"Sokka!" Suki emerged from the back entrance. She smiled wide and ran as best as she was able to him. His blue eyes lit up and he caught her in his arms.

"Suki!" He planted a kiss on her painted lips. "What are you doing back on Kyoshi?" Suki hesitated, glancing at Mai, then responded.

"We found Appa, he was in pretty bad shape, but we were attacked…by Azula. You can probably figure out where they got their Kyoshi disguises. In the end, we had to come back to recover."

"I'm just glad you're okay!" Sokka proclaimed, kissing Suki once again.

"Oh, right." Suki looked back to Zuko and Mai. "I guess you want me to do the explaining."

Zuko snorted, "If you would. They're clearly not going to listen to _us._"

Suki took a deep breath then began to tell the tale. It was an interesting story indeed; the Gaang listened intently to the account of Zuko's voyage, the destruction of his ship, Hakoda's rescue, and their arrival on Kyoshi.

"You met dad?" Sokka almost shouted.

"Yes, yes we did." Zuko said confidently.

"Is all of that really true, Zuko?" It was the first time Aang had said anything. His eyes were sharp and seemed to bore into Zuko.

"Yes."

"Toph?" Aang whispered to the blind earth bender. She nudged him roughly in the side.

"This is wood we're standing on, Twinkle toes. I can't tell you if it's the truth or not." Toph whispered back. The whole story sounded plausible, but it was _Zuko_. Then again, what reason would he have to be alone with Mai if it were not true? Azula certainly wouldn't have sent them here. Aang could not stop the part of him that shouted that they weren't lying. He was about to voice his thoughts, but the look on Zuko's face stopped him. The prince was staring beyond them, to the doorway. It was Iroh, beaming at his nephew.

"Prince Zuko!" He greeted genially, walking briskly to Zuko's side. Iroh embraced him warmly. Zuko was equally glad to see his uncle.

"Uncle! How did you escape the Dai Li?"

"I had help from a certain lady-friend." The kindly old general winked at Mai. She smirked, dipping her head in respect. Zuko turned to her.

"When…why didn't you tell me?"

"The details aren't important." Mai waved her hand in dismissal. Zuko shrugged, slightly annoyed by her flippancy. He allows Iroh to release him from his bear hug, and then speaks.

"I think I understand now, Uncle. You were right." The prince took a deep breath. "There's a balance that has to be maintained. The fire nation is responsible for some major unbalancing." Zuko smiled bitterly.

"Well, that's good enough for me!" Sokka came to his feet, grinning wide. "If _you_ can meet my dad and be free to go, he must've thought you were okay!" Zuko smiled, a rare sight in this company.

"I am proud of you, nephew." Iroh put his hand on Zuko's shoulder, his face glowing with delight.

Aang walked over to them, a friendly expression once again characterizing his youthful face.

"If you're related to Iroh, you can't be _all_ bad. And Suki seems to trust you. And Sokka and Katara's dad." He let an embarrassed blush cross his cheeks. "So what do you say, Zuko? Truce? Will you help us take down Ozai?" Zuko closed his eyes slowly, weighing the choices. Of course he had decided hours ago, if it did indeed come to this, that he would side with the Avatar. Why not? He clearly wasn't going to regain his honor through Azula, perhaps not even through the Avatar's capture. It was a difficult truth to swallow, but he knew it would be better to accept it than to live hoping for the impossible. Zuko would have to regain his honor by defeating his father, the most powerful fire bender on earth. And what of Mai? Would she be dragged into this because of him? No. She had no one else to turn to now. Only him. _I am not a hero. _Mai would stay by his side to the end.

"We will." Zuko clasped hands with the Avatar, the enemy. No, the Avatar, the ally. Aang was smiling so much, Zuko was sure that his face would split in two. Mai then came to his side, her usually pallid face slightly richer. She offered a smile to only him. It was the beginning of a new chapter for both of them. Who knew what would be in store?

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Notes: Could it be? A truce? How long can this last? Will the Gaang plus some make it to the fire nation? Where has Azula slunk off to? Some answers and more questions await in the next chapter! Please review! ;D 


	5. Why's There Jook In Your Pants?

Disclaimer: Well, I'm back! Exams have been killer, but I was able to finish this chapter! The title has almost nothing to do with the story line, but Zutara fans will find a surprise in this one; what's a good romance without some tension and a confused male lead? Don't get your hopes up too high, though. Ha ha. This one has a bit more of that changing POVs, Mai to Zuko, Zuko to Mai and so on. I still don't own Avatar and I hope you enjoy!

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The glow of the fire cast a myriad of shadows. There were eight seated around the flames, eating and drinking tea. Some were laughing, some were quietly chatting amongst themselves. Mai knew that the blush was coming as her fingers met his, reaching for her cup.

"Here, let me get you more." The prince stammered, rising from his seat. The raven-haired woman took to staring at her feet until he returned with a steaming cup of ginseng tea. Mai took it gently from his hands, pleased that Zuko sat back down next to her. To her right, on another cushion, were Iroh and the young earth bender, Toph. It was awkward, sitting there quietly while the others enjoyed themselves. Perhaps it was simply a matter of personality. It could have been that Zuko and Mai were not yet used to mingling with ex-enemies. Or maybe it was just that they both reveled in the reputation of being an introvert. In any case, the two watched as Aang stood, cleared his throat, and waited for the chattering to quiet. He smiled at them, that youthful look playing on his face.

"Okay everyone! We've got a plan." The pause of silence before he continued was just enough to allow Toph time to fail to stifle the snort that spawned from her giggle. This, of course, caused Aang to spiral into a fit of laughter. They were children, after all. Once the Avatar had stopped laughing, and crying, he continued.

"Right, the plan…" he wiped away tears and mirth from his eyes. "We're going to need to stay on Kyoshi for another week. First, I need more practice with fire bending." Iroh smiled, nodding his head. "Then Suki needs more time to heal if she wants to come with us, even if Katara does some healing. I'm sure everyone will be able to find something to do. A week's not that long, right?" He shuffled nervously.

"Yeah…let's not rush into things." Katara agreed, blue eyes flashing. Zuko looked at the water tribe girl, fighting the thought that came to his mind. _Beautiful._

"Maybe Prince Zuko could help you with defending against fire benders." Iroh mused, his smile widening.

"That's a great idea!" Katara approved after a moment of thought, "I could use some practice." Mai frowned and took to fiddling with her stilettos. The way Zuko looked as this girl made her queasy. But why? It's not like she _cared_ if Zuko liked her. _Like-liked_ her. Why should she? It wasn't like they had anything going. Mai figured that last night, his touch, his words, were all explained by fatigue and desolation. He didn't actually think she was exciting or beautiful. She was boring, just like everything around her. Of course, that's what Mai had believed all her life. A tiny part of her screamed in rebellion. But she had groomed her mind to silence those cries.

"What do you say, nephew?" Mai's thoughts were interrupted by Iroh's query. Zuko swallowed, taking the idea into consideration. Did Katara _really _want to train with him? Or was she just trying to get even with him for what he did at Ba Sing Se? Or for some other reason? Surely not. That was behind them. The cave was behind them.

"I think I can do that." Zuko forced a nervous smile, directed towards the water-bending girl. Katara flashed a grin in return, leaning forward on her seat atop the log. She giggled lightly and returned her attention back to Aang. His palms sweating, Zuko wiped them on the sides of his tunic. He, of course, had felt the tension arise in the woman sitting next to him. The way she sat perched, alert. The way she refused to sway with the cool night breeze. It was strange how such subtle things of a woman's scorn could reduce a warrior to a blubbering pile of jelly. Not that she, in particular, did. Yet here he was again trying to cover up his thoughts. What was is about her? Zuko rose slowly to his feet, stretching his arms.

"Turning in already, Nephew?" Iroh raised a brow curiously. Zuko was shuffling towards the pathway back towards the village. The prince turned to respond, waving as he spoke.

"I think so, Uncle. Good night everyone." A chorus of 'Good night, Zuko!"s followed him down the pathway. As he continued towards their host home, thankfully no longer a barn, the warmth of the fire left him and the cool breeze played against his skin. A heavy sigh dropped from his lips as he made his way to his room. Their room. It had been suggested earlier that Zuko get acquainted with the Avatar and Sokka. Oh how he looked forward to it. But not really. Prince Zuko shed his tunic and looked at himself in the mirror. Sculpted shoulders, strong arms, lean chest. He sighed again and plopped down onto the mattress, arranging himself in his preferred position of sleep. Though the pulls of sleep nagged at him, Zuko couldn't tear his thoughts away from the day's events. There was no going back now, he supposed. He'd known that from the beginning of this mess, sure. Now it all seemed surreal. At least Mai was with him. A familiar face…a gentle touch…a… And Zuko was asleep.

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Wake up. Get dressed. Eat. Endure Sokka's occasional pranks, usually aided by Toph. Stretch. Train Katara. Break. Train some more. Eat. Help the wounded Kyoshi warriors with Katara and Suki. Contemplate the dichotomy of good and evil. More training. More pranks. Eat. Bathe. Sleep.

The entire week, each and every day, went exactly the same. He had only seen Mai at meal times and she did not make the effort to speak to him. This bothered Zuko. Mostly because he knew _why_ she was ignoring him, but didn't think she should be. So what if he was spending each and every waking hour with Katara? So what if she, Mai, happened to be walking past when he tripped the water tribe girl during practice and she'd toppled on top of him in an awfully promiscuous position? What did it matter to Mai? What indeed.

The first thought that came to Zuko as he sat up groggily was that today was the day that they would start the journey to the fire nation. He shoved his bangs from his eyes and observed the room's other occupants. Sokka was still in deep slumber; contorted into a position that Zuko wasn't quite sure he could manage while he was _awake._ Aang, however, was sleeping like a normal person, calm and serene. The prince tiptoed from the room. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to watch the sunrise from the rooftop. The morning breeze helped coax Zuko out of that 'I just woke up, so shut up' mood as well as clear his mind for the day ahead. The sound of shingles clacking together behind him peaked his curiosity. Prince Zuko turned to come face to face with Katara. She smiled genially.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Uh…no, you can if you want." He replied sheepishly. Katara shifted in her spot on the roof and cleared her throat.

"Zuko, about what happened…in Ba Sing Se…"

"No." he said firmly, raising his hand, not looking at her. "It doesn't matter now."

"Zuko, let me say my piece. Please." The sudden sensation of her hand, her cool skin, resting atop his hand surprised him. He turned to meet her blue eyes with his own, gold and warm. "I'm sorry I didn't heal you when I had the chance. Maybe things would have worked out differently." She squeezed the prince's hand. He shook his head.

"Either way, we would be together as a team. I'm here now, aren't I? Maybe it was better this way. I've learned some things because of this." Zuko smiled sadly. True enough, he distrusted Azula more than ever now. He also knew that he could never regain his honor via her or the Avatar. "And anyway, if all this hadn't happened, Mai would still be stuck with Azula. It's a plus for us, because, if she was, it would be one more threat to look out for." The prince chuckled. Katara gazed at him and in that moment, he felt somehow connected to her. He leaned towards the young water bender slowly and planted a light, feathery kiss on her cheek. It may have been impulsive, but his gesture brought a smile to Katara's face. She blushed, the light pink hue easily visible in the morning light. The young woman leaned in and returned the favor, kissing him on the mouth. Her lips were soft and sweet, but Zuko couldn't ignore the jab of guilt that stuck in his mind. The prince did not pull away, but his mind was somewhere else. Katara stood after a moment after turning her head.

"I'd better go help Iroh with breakfast." She said; Zuko could hear the smile in her voice. Katara was out of earshot before he could respond, so the prince just sighed and dropped his head into his hands. He was certain that if Mai had seen them, she would either never ever speak to him again or, which may be the better alternative, kill him. After a good fifteen minutes or so, Zuko could hear the others stirring and could smell breakfast. Slipping back down the hall, the prince was relieved to see that Mai was still in her room, slipping her shoes onto her feet. Maybe he could get by without her ever knowing, and he could have her forgiveness for not once keeping her company during the week.

Breakfast was just as it had been every morning. The party of eight gathered around the table and ate bowls of Iroh's famous jook accompanied by his equally appraised tea. Most days it went without incident, save one. Which was today. It was somewhat of a blur, though Mai knew the results. Half of those seated ended up covered with rice porridge and splinters of chopsticks. She suspected Sokka of starting the whole ordeal, seeing as he was the only one amused. Katara groaned and brought her forehead down on the table rather forcefully. Perhaps the jook cushioned the impact. In any case, it delayed their departure a good half hour. Mai could sense that Zuko was avoiding her and it damped her mood. He hadn't spoken to her all week, which made her rather put out as well.

Once the dishes were washed and put away and everyone began to prepare to leave, Mai returned to her room. When Suki knocked on the doorframe, Mai was brushing out her hair, taking advantage of the mirror. She did not turn, but glared at the warrior via the reflection. Her smile was bright as Suki entered the room. Mai noticed that she was holding something behind her back. The joyous girl leaned over the otherwise gloomy one and spoke.

"I know how much you hate all the green in Earth kingdom clothes, so I thought you might like…this." Suki thrust out the parcel from behind her and it took Mai by surprise. There in her hands were Mai's clothes. Her fire nation clothes.

"You kept them?" she asked slowly.

"Some of the other warriors thought they would make nice war souvenirs." Suki chuckled. "In any case, I figured you would want them back." Mai thanked her quietly and slipped back into her familiar robes after Suki had left. Unlike Zuko, she did not hesitate to don fire nation garb once again. It felt right. Like Zuko. She couldn't explain it. The prince, even though he irritated her so, entranced Mai. He always had, even as a child. He was dangerous and strong, yet vulnerable. She could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. His face, his hands, the way he walked, the way he breathed. Every movement spoke to her. _I am interested in you._ Maybe it was still all in her girlish fantasy. Not that he would admit it, if it were true. She wouldn't either. They were both stubborn as old men set in their ways. But Mai could not help the heaviness in her heart when she saw Zuko with that other girl. There had to be a way for her to tell him. Somehow, she would find it.

And Zuko, just the same, could not bring to an end to the guilt that wracked his mind each time he saw Katara _and_ Mai. He was presently getting acquainted with Appa while helping the other men folk load the supplies into the bison's brand-new saddle. It was a decent distraction, meeting the rather cuddly beast. But it was a fleeting diversion at best. Why did his life have to be so blasted complicated? Family this, honor that; there was no end to it, it seemed. And even now, a whole new concept had disrupted what little sense of order he had developed. Love. Zuko did not like not knowing what he wanted; it had happened before as he faced Uncle when asked what he wanted his destiny to be. Frankly, it was a pain in the rear. Did he hold any feelings for Mai? Or was it that he simply was being nice? No, no, he felt that there was more to it than that. Katara had certainly thrown him for a loop. Zuko groaned and sank to the ground next to Appa, who grunted back.

"So, buddy, you think you can handle eight people?" Aang's voice was audible from the other side of the bison.

"Grrroooaaahhhmm." Was the response.

"Sure, we'll pack light and take breaks whenever you need. Why'd ya think other wise?" the Avatar giggled.

This was going to be a long trip.

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Notes: What lies in store for the Gaang as they make their way across land and sea to the fire nation? Which will come out on top; Zutara or Maiko? Will Sokka ever discover the leftover jook planted in his boomerang holster? Heh, you'll just have to wait and see! Thanks for reading, please review! 


	6. Boys Will Be Boys

Disclaimer: Yep, yep. Another chapter. I was out of town (seeing Josh Groban in concert!!!) and wasn't able to get back to this as much as I wanted. However, it's here now! There's probably a butt load of grammatical error that I'll weed out later. T RATING IS STRESSED in the chapter for slight mentions of nudity, but nothing explict. IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM is this chapter slash. Don't even think it, even if it could have the potential to be. Enjoy!

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"Secret TUNNEEELLLL!"

When in the company of General Iroh and Avatar Aang, there is no better pastime than singing. Of course, there was no Sungi horn to accompany them. Which, for Zuko, was a gift from God. Had there been one in their trappings, _he_ would have been the one to play it. For three hours, he had endured their rapturous melodies. By the look on Mai's face, Zuko could tell that she would, at any moment, snap. In fact, she appeared as though, if there were one available, she would be slamming her head against a wall until she lost consciousness. Had he not have been miserable himself, Zuko might have laughed at seeing her this way.

"Ooo! Ooo! Remember my song? Badger moles, coming toward me…" Sokka trailed off, his arm cradling Suki's sleeping form. Though significantly better, she still was in need of a lot of rest. Suki mumbled softly and turned away from the group.

"Actually, Sokka, we don't. We weren't with you." Katara pointed out.

"Oh, that's right. You were too busy smooching." Her brother teased. A dark blush spread over both Aang and Katara's faces.

"Sokka, your singing sounds like a hog monkey in labor." Toph said to disrupt the awkward silence.

"Oh, and I suppose you can sing!" He frowned. Toph waved her hand in dismissal. Mai plopped her head into her hands, ready to scream. These people were crazy. Not just crazy, but one hundred percent bona-fide loopy. In fact, their cheer was comparable to Ty Lee's. It was then that Mai realized that it was the first time she had given thought to her friend since leaving Ba Sing Se. Hopefully, she had survived Azula's rage. Mai glanced over at Sokka, who was leaned over kissing Suki's hair, smiling playfully. Ty Lee didn't have a chance, she mused. Also, it was the only time she had ever seen Sokka resemble his father so much. This was, of course, fleeting, for it appeared as though there was a blob of the jook, the same jook that just wouldn't go away, dripping down his elbow. This did not sit well with him, seeing as he screamed and rose to his knees, knocking Suki off his lap with a thud. She woke with a start, clearly dazed and confused.

"Sokka!" she yelped in that commanding voice of hers. Sokka apologized quickly, interjecting some excuses as he rambled on. Mai was not certain how much more of this she could take. If there were ever a reason for her to completely snap, it would be because of _them._ Seeing the look in Zuko's eyes, he was feeling the same. Mai looked to the side, face downcast. Suddenly she could feel his gaze upon her and she knew that her blush would be very visible to the others. Zuko was acting strangely, ever since they left Kyoshi. Unusually nervous, slightly paled, and fidgety were all conditions that could describe him. Mai decided not to bother him at the moment, seeing as the others were doing a better job of it than she ever could.

The hours passed slowly and soon the singing and merriment dissolved into silence and napping. It had been decided earlier in the day that they would stop one last time before heading to the fire nation. The place of choice would be at the mouth of the same river that the Gaang had 'liberated' the water bending scroll from pirates and, ironically, Zuko. Of course, bringing up the incident made the prince increasingly uncomfortable and Iroh put a stop to it quickly by going off on some Pai Sho tangent. And Mai was bored. So very bored, in fact, that she took to looking for dagger-shaped clouds. Or Zuko shaped ones. Once or twice she could have sworn that one was smiling at her, though her mind could have just been mocking her boredom by supplying her with fantasies. She sighed and glanced dully towards the direction they were flying. As the glint of the sinking sun on the river sparkled, Mai let herself relax. Finally, they would be landing. Flying hadn't been as nearly as terrifying as she had initially presumed. It beat riding a mongoose dragon, that's for sure.

Appa descended and everyone was more than happy to walk around and stretch their legs. The smell of salt from the ocean, only a few miles away, laced the breeze. It was invigorating and seemed to put everyone in a better mood. As the men, all four of them, set up camp, the girls ventured out to gather supplied and wood for the night. It would be their last night on friendly territory.

"Yuck…I could sure use a bath." Katara said, picking fur, dirt, and other oddities from her tunic and hair. Suki gave her a sideways glance and agreed.

"It would be nice."

"Well, I'm fine without one." Toph shrugged; Mai was certain that a cloud of dust followed this motion.

"Oh yeah…I forgot about your 'healthy coating of earth' thing." Katara laughed. "Even after being pampered like crazy…" she added.

"That was a one-time thing, sugar queen." Toph said, seemingly to justify her reasoning.

"It couldn't hurt." Mai spoke, directly to them for the first time. "It _is_ really our last chance." She shuddered at the thought of grime and sweat caking onto her with not a moments' peace to clean up. Mai's skin crawled.

"I guess we'll have to use the river. Upstream, though. Wouldn't want anyone getting an eyeful of anything they shouldn't." Suki smirked, clearly referring to the males that made up their party. Katara giggled and Mai almost smiled. That is, before her mind brutally attacked her.

'_He wouldn't even **want **to look at you.'_

"After we eat then. It'll be nice to squeeze in some girl talk before we head out." Katara said cheerfully.

"Girl talk? You're kidding, right?" Toph half giggled, half snorted. Mai had to agree with the short, witty earth bender. Girl talk with these girls? She barely knew them. For Agni's sake, she would hardly ever even talk with Ty Lee like that. Unless she was exceptionally bored…or annoyed. Unfortunately, she was a bit of both at the moment. Mai exhaled loudly and began to brainstorm for some kind of conversation-starter. Azula had always complained that Mai wasn't good at initiating banter, save for that with the enemy. Perhaps tonight she could get in some practice.

"Well, we're off." Suki announced after piling the eight dirty dishes atop one another. Momo purred quizzically on Aang's shoulder.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Sokka questioned, almost frantically. He was still a bit over zealous when it came to protecting Suki. She laughed lightly and said coyly, "Us girls are going to get cleaned; it'll be the last opportunity we'll have for a while." Suki wrapped her arms around the wooden bucket filled with soaps and cloth and set out to catch up with the other three.

"Guys are so nosey." Toph said in that blithe tone of hers. She held her hands clasped behind her head and she grinned. Mai shuffled at the earth bender's side and behind Katara, who led the way. It took about ten minutes to reach the spot that she had suggested, a part of the river that bent inward and flowed slowly. Mai was more than happy to remove her shoes and step onto the cool sand. And boy, was the water cold. It was a mistake on her part to wade into the river slowly. It was a mistake on Katara's part to dive under the water and pull Mai down. Of course, the gaffe was that Katara had been aiming for Suki's unsuspecting person, not Mai's. Needless to say, the brooding assassin was rather put out by the whole experience. Mai half swam, half walked several dozen feet from the others and got down to the business of scrubbing away the grim and sweat that had accumulated in various places. She'd forgotten how stuffy her fire nation garb was and almost forty-eight hours without a bath was just about all she could take. Divesting herself of the remainder of said clothes, Mai sank gratefully into the cool waters. She took a breath and went under the currents. It was silent, with the exception of the dull booming of her heart echoing in her flooded ears. How she treasured the absence of sound, knowing from the muffled splashes and squealing that it was not to be. When she finally bobbed to the surface, Mai heard something that she wished she hadn't.

"I feel really bad about it. I…I shouldn't have kissed him."

"Well, the way it sounds, neither of you meant it. It was all 'in the moment'." Suki was rinsing her hair of suds, talking softly to Katara.

"But I don't know that. It's not the best way to start off this journey, with Zuko avoiding me."

"Sounds like Twinkle-toes is getting the short end of this stick." Toph huffed; she was already dressed and drying her hair. Mai felt the heat rise in her face and she clenched her fists. Not only were they talking in a manner that excluded her, they were talking about Zuko. _Kissing_ Zuko. The very same Zuko that _she_ had kissed. Mai made her way quietly to the shore and collected her garments. It was against all impulses for her to simply slink off back towards camp, but it was not contradictory to her better judgment. It would not have been wise for her to act out in anger. The water that cascaded down her face hid the tears that she refused to believe were there. Angrily, she dressed, tugging the silk in every direction, and dried her hair. This predicament would not help the already shaky rapport between Zuko, herself, and the Avatar's company. She should just keep it to herself and not mention it. She should just forget about Zuko and let him go on his merry way. She should, but Mai knew she couldn't. Unfortunately, the young assassin didn't have much time to contemplate it further, for she suddenly found herself laying on her back with none other than the object of her affection opposite her, rubbing his forehead. How did she not see him? That's what happens when your thoughts are consumed with romance, Mai supposed.

"Are you alright?" Zuko offered his hand to the pale woman. Much to his surprise, she abruptly declined.

"Yes." She snapped, picking herself off of the ground. Mai attempted to maneuver past him.

"Are you sure?" the prince eyed her, blocking her with his arm. She batted it away and made a move towards her sleeping mat. Zuko, as determined as ever, grabbed her hand. Stopping dead in her tracks, Mai turned to glower fiercely at him.

"I don't want to talk to you." She spat.

'_Dear Agni, she knows.' _Zuko felt a lump rise in his throat. She scowled and continued towards her makeshift bed. He let her go for a moment, waiting for her to settle and turn her back on him. The prince sat next to her and whispered curtly.

"I've been beating myself up all day over it."

No response.

"I made a mistake, Mai."

"No kidding." She interjected audaciously. Zuko was now aware of just how ticked off she actually was. It was almost frightening. Almost.

"You're smart enough to know that I don't feel that way about her."

"Then why did you _kiss_ her?!" Mai hissed, finally rising to meet his stare. He could see in her eyes more than anger, but that she was hurt. Did she really care that much about him? Her body was stiff, eyes sharp. Zuko had several choices before him now: He could keep talking and end up with his foot in his mouth again. He could leave her alone. He could kiss _her_. The first option was unappealing and the second would leave both of them unsatisfied and brooding. The last…he wasn't quite sure how she would take. 'Gee, Zuko, thanks for sucking face with some other girl then coming back to me.' Not a likely reaction.

"Mai, I'm sorry, okay? It was an impulse and I should have resisted." Zuko sighed. He wasn't just saying that, either. Sure Katara was nice and friendly, but he didn't think that there was any substance to go on; at least not now. Mai sat there with a frustrated pout on her lips. Then Zuko heard the distant sound of the others returning. It was now or never. He took advantage of the moment that Mai looked away and kissed her ardently. Her gasp made clear her surprise and the fact that she did not refuse him was comforting. Mai was the last person he would think of kissing like that. Now it seemed natural and right. Zuko slipped his hand around her waist and breathed in the clean scent of her slightly damp hair.

"See? You were still mad, but you couldn't refuse." He smiled sheepishly.

"Zuko, shut up." Mai whispered and kissed his cheek, rolling over to finally sleep. At that point, Zuko wasn't entirely sure what to do now. He sat there for a moment, listening to Mai's steady breathing. Then Zuko made a decision and planted a light kiss on her temple just before retiring to his own mat.

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AN: Hmm…Mai and Zuko seem to have made up, but will it last? With tensions of the coming journey rising, will the GAang be able to stay together? Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming soon! 


	7. See Who I Am

Disclaimer: This chapter is a bit too short for my liking, but I'll try and make up for it next time. Only two or three more chapters to go. The end it near. I do not own Avatar. There will be a new story coming soon continuing this storyline, but some twenty years after these events. Enjoy!

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Zuko had never noticed that once he woke up, as little sleep he may have received, it would be near impossible for him to fall back to sleep again. He didn't mind too much, though. He supposed that the only reason that this idiosyncrasy of his behavior had presented itself was because he was so calm. In fact, the prince hadn't been this relaxed in quite some time. In the coolness of the morning air, Zuko lay with arms behind his head, eyes staring at the treetops above. The sun had not risen yet, though it would in less than half an hour. Their campsite was quiet and Zuko was free to indulge in some thought. Of course, he knew that there would be a battle in the days to come. Not just a battle though, it would be one of epic degree and Zuko dreaded it. He could not imagine taking down his own father. Even though his father detested him, the prince could not bring himself to hate him. How could he? For three years he had sought to earn Ozai's love and approval. But it was not to be. If they were successful in overthrowing the Fire Lord, what would become of the fire nation? Surely Iroh could accept his birthright and preside over the Fire Nation. Not Zuko. Frankly, the idea frightened him. True, he had dreamed of becoming Fire Lord, but as the reality rapidly approached, Zuko was unsure of his capacity to rule.

Then there was the tiny matter of marriage. He could not become Fire Lord without a Lady. In Ozai's case, it was all right since he already had heirs. Zuko was suddenly reminded of his mother and he was determined to think of something else. He rolled to one side to witness Toph snoozing. It was almost déjà vu, for she was positioned similar to the way Sokka had been sleeping yesterday morning. He liked the blind earth bender. She was headstrong and tough, more like a little brother than a little sister. Not to mention she could be flat out hilarious, even if she wasn't intending to be. But no, Zuko wouldn't laugh. Not out loud anyway. In truth, Zuko liked Sokka's presence, too. He was the same age as Zuko and could, in the future, be a good friend. Sure, he was silly and loud and a bit too spastic for Zuko, but he was also a brave warrior. And though Zuko found it hard to believe himself, Aang's optimism was enlightening and welcomed. In thinking about each of them in such terms, Zuko felt as though he was where he should be.

"Nephew?" Iroh's voice broke the silence. Zuko rolled over towards him, surprised, but pleased as well.

"What are you doing up so early?" the kindly old general laughed, standing a ways over, heating a pot of tea.

"I was just thinking."

"Oh?" The way Iroh said it made Zuko think that he wanted him to elaborate, but wasn't going to ask him to because it would be rude.

"Are you going to fight him?" Zuko asked suddenly, though it was met by silence.

"If necessary."

"I'm not ready."

"It takes a strong man to face his darkest fear. You know yours and you _are _strong. It's unhealthy to brood over it; you'll know what to do when the time comes." Iroh brought his nephew a steaming cup of ginseng tea. Zuko sipped it quietly for a while, and then spoke again.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Iroh drank his tea, though it seemed to Zuko that he was somewhat distracted. His uncle looked him in the eye and voiced his thoughts.

"Zuko, you know that you will become the next Fire Lord. You have chosen your path and it cannot be reversed. Perhaps you should be thinking about things that will be expected of you; they will not all be pleasant." It was the most serious he had seen Iroh since in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se. "Though marriage is a positive institution, it does not lack some bumps in the road along the way…" Zuko's eyes went wide and he gulped his tea loudly.

"Marriage? Uncle, I'm barely seventeen!"

"It doesn't matter. To be recognized as Fire Lord, you must have a Fire Lady by your side. You know that." Iroh chuckled. "You will be find, Zuko. Just don't expect to have much say in whom you marry. The high-ranking individuals, nobility or militarily, must approve." Zuko's expression morphed from shock to concern to disapproval. He sank his head into his hands. "It is all part of being fire nation. It's the order of things to have arranged marriages."

"That doesn't make it any less difficult." Zuko sighed, his voice muffled by his palms. Iroh gave Zuko a hearty pat on the shoulder and looked to the sky. The pinkish glow on the horizon was growing brighter and brighter. The sun was rising.

"Don't allow yourself to be consumed with thoughts of the future. It is just something to consider. You will need a clear mind for the days ahead."

The camp began to stir just as the sun breached to horizon. Sokka was the second to last person to get up, followed closely by Toph. Katara and Suki went about rolling up the sleeping rolls and tidying the campsite. As soon as Aang returned from some morning meditation, the eight of them were ready to head for the fire nation. From where they were, at present, the first piece of fire nation land they would see would be the place where Avatar Roku's temple had been built. It would take less than twenty hours for it to come into sight, considering they were not in the same hurry as they were at the winter solstice. Soon Zuko would be home. Mai sat atop of Appa a good twenty minutes before everyone else was ready, filing away at her nails. She eyed Katara as the water bender climbed into the saddle, not quite over the events the night before. Fortunately, Katara was either oblivious to Mai's fiere glowers, her and Zuko's relationship, or a combination of the two. In any case, Mai discontinued her unsatisfactory scowls, which she deemed unproductive.

Zuko was the last person to climb atop the furry bison; he stayed on the ground just in case Suki needed assistance, considering her injury. She insisted, however, that she was fine and got onto Appa's saddle with ease.

And once again, they were off. Every once in a while, Appa would descend and rest, paddling methodically in the ocean. Then they would meet the open skies again. Not once were there any singing, only gauche silence and small talk. Occasionally Aang would talk seriously with Katara or Iroh while the others pretended not to listen. But they were.

"So, Zuko, what does the fire nation actually _look_ like? I mean, I've never heard of anyone setting foot there other than fire nation people. Well, we did once. But just on that island Avatar Roku's temple was. And all the stuff in the library was destroyed." Sokka asked curiously, leaning towards the prince with an inquisitive smile. Zuko thought for a moment, running his fingers through his scruffy hair.

"Well, there are a lot of volcanoes. There are also quite a few tropical jungles."

"That's where the mongoose dragons come from." Mai interpolated casually.

"Yeah. It's a lot like the earth kingdom otherwise. Quite a bit warmer, though. And with more mountains; it's like a completely different ecosystem."

"Sounds like a friendly place." Toph commented, sarcasm lacing her voice. The two members of the fire nation chose to ignore the comment; neither wanted to waste energy arguing. Mai's eyes drifted to meet Zuko's. He put forth a wry smile, one only she could see. Zuko had to admit that Mai being here with him was a great comfort. It was as if she anchored him to the fire nation and his past and, though not all sunshine and rainbows, her presence helped him maintain his sense of self, a sense of who he was. The moment his eyes met hers, he knew what he would have to do. Face his sister and his father without looking back. Take back his honor and put an end to the imperialistic fire nation. All for them. And then, Zuko remembered. He would not be alone. Not anymore. The prince held Mai's gaze for a moment, trying to read her mind. She smirked subtly and gazed out over the ocean. The dark haired young woman's brows raised in amusement.

"It's the blockade." Her voice was dull and unfazed.

"This time, Prince Zuko, there is no reason to stop." Iroh chuckled warmly. Aang shouted to Appa the familiar cry, "Yip, yip!" and the sky bison's speed increased drastically. The sea was now simply a blur of blue and glimmer from the sunlight. Mai found the wind that whipped their hair around in untamed, arbitrary directions invigorating. She looked to Zuko knowingly as the initial flaming boulders appeared in the air. Iroh was the first to deflect the assault; a powerful stream of flame forced the rock sailing into the ocean. The old general and his nephew fend off the attack with precision and speed; some of the deflected stones strike the ships.

"That was a lot less scary the second time!" Katara managed to shout over the sound of explosions and shouting from below. Before they knew it, the crescent island was in sight, the ruins of the Fire Temple was the only thing there, no longer smoldering in molten rock, but just ruins. Aang frowned, thinking of the Fire Sage, Shyu, who had helped him contact Avatar Roku. He wondered if he was still alive, or perhaps rotting in one of Ozai's cells. The notion disturbed him and the question that had plagued his thoughts returned.

'_What if I'm not powerful enough?'_

Now was not the time to worry. They were in the fire nation and they were there for one purpose. To defeat the Fire Lord. There would be no going back now, either. Either they would succeed, or they would fail. And Aang would die trying. They all knew it. The young Avatar would never be able to express his thankfulness for Iroh's teaching; he was an excellent, patient instructor. Aang was no longer afraid or ashamed of fire bending; Guru Pathik had helped him before the coup in Ba Sing Se. And yet doubt lingered.

As the crescent island came into sight, Zuko was taken aback. It was the second time he had laid eyes on his homeland in three years. Only this time, he was _with_ the Avatar. He still remembered leaving, being banished. So did Mai. She had not been able to attend the Agni Kai, nor did she know that he was to face Ozai. Her mother had; she had shuffled nervously around their estate the entire day. It was only natural that Mai would have wanted to see him, though she was disallowed. And he had left, supposedly forever, before she had even woken. That's when all the emotion had been beaten and shoved into some dark corner of her mind and Mai donned her porcelain mask.

The air was thick, even in the skies as they were, as island after island was passed by. Iroh was their guide. They knew what was to be done, but there was no real plan per se, because they did not have any inkling of fire nation geography or much of anything in this land, really. The goal now was to stay out of sight for as long as possible and find some haven in which to plan their strike. The end was near.

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AN: Next: Find out what Azula has been up to! The story continues and the battle begins! 


	8. Home Again

Disclaimer: Okay, I know it's been a couple of weeks. I apologize profusely! School's winding down and you know how crazy that can be! This chapter it what some of you have been waiting for, but also dreading. There will be some more details on certain events in the next one, so stay tuned! I don't own Avatar!!

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The next few hours were surprisingly quiet. Only once had they encountered some ground assaults, which were easily avoided. Zuko couldn't help but think that something was amiss. The fire nation had to know that they were coming. So why was there no sign of it? He desperately needed to stretch his legs and do something to alleviate his stress. Perhaps a spar with someone would do it. It was driving him mad, the waiting. The five persons, minus Toph, who had never laid eyes on this much of the fire nation, gave the ground drilling stares of interest. It was not what they expected, certainly; the lush flora, the towering trees, and the humidity that plastered hair to skin. To Zuko, it was home. After three long years, he was home.

"This is…it's beautiful." Katara said dreamily. They could see mountains in the distance, most likely volcanoes as well. "I didn't think it would be like this."

"Well, it's kinda sticky." Toph commented, peeling her sleeve from her arm.

"You'll get used to it." Mai replied softly, her eyes scanning the ground for some kind of disturbance. She could have sworn that something was following under the cover of the trees. It was unnerving not knowing what was tailing them as much as it was exciting for Mai.

"The capital rests at the center of the largest, central island. There is an abandoned village the next valley over from the city. I suggest that we come up with a plan from there and then make the move." Iroh motioned to Aang, his face somewhat still.

"Sounds good, Iroh." Sokka said as Aang changed their direction slightly. Suki sat by his side, her fingers laced in his. Mai looked to Zuko, who must have noticed the movement below as well. He was looking down just so that, if had been anyone other than her looking at him, you wouldn't be able to tell that he was, indeed, gazing at the ground. He must have also thought he was imagining things because he looked up at Mai, a subtle look of confusion on his face.

About an hour or two or weaving over rivers, jungles, and mountainous land, all to avoid getting too close to the city, they found the ghost town. It reminded Katara of the place they had battled Azula after being chased all night. It was dusty, desolate, and absolutely perfect to hide out until they were ready. It smelled like home, too. Laying there inside the farmhouse at the edge of the town, listening to the others breathing, Mai could pick up traces of dirt and ash. It had been quite some time since she had been here, too. Not as long as Zuko, but long enough. She turned her eyes to him, he was sitting only an arm's length from her, and eyes closed breathing steadily. She scanned the rest of the room slowly; only Sokka and Suki were there, and the former was asleep with his head in Suki's lap. The idea she now entertained, if properly executed, would be very intimate, something she often shied away from. Utilizing her assassin's stealth, Mai inched closer to him. She listened to his breathing again and brought her hand gently to his face.

The sudden sensation of someone's touch on his face was shocking, like an electric jolt. Zuko's eyes snapped opened to see Mai there. The hand clearly belonged to her, and his first impulse was to turn away. But he did not. Her fingers traced the outline of his scar softly, giving him a small sad smile. Mai inched even closer, supporting her weight with her left arm.

"Mai…" Zuko protested softly. She lifted her eyes, peering at him from behind the dark veil of her hair. The gentle curve of her lips reversed; the frown had returned.

"I can't pretend to understand everything you've been through, what you are going through." Mai leaned in and kissed him tenderly in such a way that expressed affection and comfort, something she had been determined to keep locked away deep inside her heart. It was strange and new. Zuko appeared to have realized the significance of her gesture and he brought his hand to where hers rested on the side of his face.

"You were there, weren't you? At the Agni Kai?" He did not meet her eyes. Mai traced the burned tissue again, reflecting. She had been, of course. Against her mother's instruction, but she was there, watching him from afar.

"And after." Mai averted her eyes. The sight of seeing him screaming in agony, knowing that if he did anything to stop the pain, his dishonor would only increase. After a moment, Zuko moved his hand, tucked it underneath her chin, and lifted her head to look at him. He smiled so slightly; Mai thought it might have been her imagination. It wasn't, for he pulled into a kiss that sent chills running down her spine. She pressed her lips to his, almost, _almost_, laughing. But the experience was short-lived, because Mai heard something approach. It was the familiar sound of a certain creature's claws digging into the earth. A mongoose dragon. The question was, was there a rider? To the surprise and shock of Zuko and Mai, both, there was. Ty Lee was mounted on the beast that now stood at the center of the ruined town, a trickle of blood running down the side of her face. Mai could sense that it was not new, simply an old wound reopened.

"Mai?" Ty Lee squeaked, tears rising in her voice.

"Ty Lee?" Mai questioned, astonished. What was she doing here? Ty Lee slowly dismounted, and then proceeded to run to the baffled assassin. With tears streaming down her face, Ty Lee threw her arms around Mai.

"What happened?" Mai questioned, retaining most of her dreary demeanor.

"She threw me out." The acrobat sobbed. "Azula didn't want to risk another betrayal." Her words seemed to be laced with a hint of spite. Something was not right. Mai could sense it. And then everything was blurry. The slapping of feet on the dirt and the thud of her skull smashing into the ground was all she could hear. It occurred to Mai that she had fallen. That never happened. Mai never fell. The tingling sensation in her arms and back was uncanny and unmistakable. Though she had never experienced having her chi blocked, she knew. Ty Lee towered above her now, she new, even though she could not so much as turn her head to look.

"Unfortunately, you have to." Ty Lee whispered.

"I guess it's too late to tell you she was lying." It was Toph, taunting Ty Lee with some carefully directed earthbending. It was interesting hearing the earth move, Mai's ear being in close proximity with the ground at present. That was not, however, the extent of her concern. It all happened surprisingly quickly and soon Mai was aware of the fact that she could feel her limbs again. It felt like thousands of ants were crawling all over her body, a mix of hitting your funny bone and letting your leg fall asleep magnified times a thousand. There was shouting and she knew Zuko was there; the sound of the oxygen igniting into flame was easy to hear over the near-witty banter that was being exchanged between parties. Ty Lee had to go off and make a comment about Sokka the moment he ran out and Mai could tell that she had taken a blow from Suki. When she was able to finally life her head, it was easy to see who had the upper hand in this fight.

"You won't beat me this time!" Suki shouted, bearing down on the thin acrobat. Some how, Ty Lee escaped. It was far from victory, though, seeing how Katara sent a stream of water, cracking like a whip, in her direction. Ty Lee wobbled for a moment after being struck, then collapsed, panting. She glowered, quite uncharacteristic of her, and leapt into the air, landing closer to her mount. Ever flirtatious, she blew a kiss, threw a seductive glance at Sokka and departed faster than Mai had ever seen her move.

"What was that about?!" Sokka exclaimed, outraged. Mai felt someone grasp her arm and pull her to her feet. Zuko. He helped steady her, but she noticed, neglected to leave her side.

"What was the point of just sending _her_ out here?"

"It doesn't matter. She's going to report back to Azula. They know exactly where we are." Zuko said gravely.

"You're right, Prince Zuko. We have to move now or risk being cornered." Iroh lamented, having just reappeared from who knows where. Mai was rather put out by being tricked, not to mention that she wasn't even in the fight. She coughed, nodding in agreement. The time was now. They were going to take down Ozai once and for all. The twinge of nausea in Zuko's gut must have been mutual to the others, for their faces were pale and sickly. His feet dragged the ground as he made his way to Appa. That familiar feeling, the sensation of his legs being detached from the rest of his body, returned to him. The sun was beginning to set as they rose into the flaming orange skies. Mai looked at Zuko with the calmest expression she could muster, looking into his golden eyes. Her hair whipped around her, the wind tossing the strands this way and that. She placed her hand over his gently, as she had while they were sitting in the barn. The air was thick with mounting tension and Zuko could not help but think of what Aang must be experiencing. If he fails, all is lost. There will be no other hope for anyone of any nation. Sozin's comet would come and then Ozai would ravage everything. It was a future that Zuko did not want to entertain. What scared him more, however, was the fact that at one time, such a future would have been ideal in his mind.

They flew at a slow pace, so that the night would be able to offer some sort of cover for them. Once the walls of the great fire nation palace were in sight, time seemed to freeze. Their breathing was inaudible before some let out a collective gasp. It was beautiful. In fact, it was just the way Mai remembered it, even though it had been a good seven years, give or take a few, since she had been there. As the sun's final golden sliver disappeared behind the buildings, the sky grew dark. Then something happened that could not be ignored. The courtyard, only a stone-throw away, was illuminated with the blinding brilliance of a lighting strike. It was so close; in fact, they could hear the crackling of energy just before the flash. There was something terribly wrong about it, because mixed with the crackling and the flash was a scream. Such a scream that made their hair stand on edge and course chills through their spines. And then Mai knew. She knew exactly what it was. Azula, obviously. But Ty Lee had, most likely, just arrived from her failure. A failure that would most certainly cost her more than what she could bear. Mai's heart plunged into her stomach. She looked to Zuko and for the first time he could remember, he saw fear there.

"Hurry!" Zuko spat urgently. Aang tugged on Appa's reigns, beginning a rapid decent. Their landing was hasty and Zuko nearly vaulted off of the bison with Mai. Across the expanse of stone and grass stood Azula, smiling wickedly. Only a few yards from where the princess stood was a body, smoke rising from its back. Ty Lee.

"We'll take care of Azula; Aang, Iroh, Katara, and Toph, go find the Fire Lord." Sokka motioned erratically, running with Suki towards where Zuko and Mai were poised. The others made their way to the ornate stairs, sprinting and ready for the way of guards that were probably waiting ahead.

"Azula!" Zuko shouted, outraged.

"You finally made it with your pathetic band of heros," Azula scowled, eyes dangerously narrowed. Mai was glaring more intensely than Zuko thought was possible, even for her. Cold steel slid in-between her fingers and she inched closer.

"Surely you don't think you can beat me," The princess taunted, also moving closer. She stopped next to Ty Lee's crumpled form, kicking her in the side.

"You've never fought me. Not seriously." Mai spat, the venom and contempt that ran through her voice was unnerving. She leapt into the air, sending daggers slicing through the space between them at such speeds they were blurs. Some were dodged, but Azula wiped the blood flowing from her cheek. The princess glared back, firing a blast of flame in her direction. Mai avoid the full force of the attack, rolling to the side, the end of her clothes singed.

"You can't win." Azula deflected another wave of stilettos. It was then that Zuko decide to speak up. Just as he did, Sokka joined him, and he saw Suki sneaking around to where Ty Lee lay.

"She's not alone." Zuko rushed his sister, shooting flame. Azula smirked, easily blocking it with her own blast. However, what she failed to notice was that shrouded in the fire was a boomerang. It struck her in the side of her head, knocking Azula to the ground. Unfortunately, she scrambled to her feet seconds later, preparing for another assault.

"We're not finished just yet."

* * *

A/N: Dx Please review!! 


	9. Bittersweet: An Intermission

Disclaimer/Notes: Yes, it's been a while. And for all you action-buffs, there is none. This is just an intermission that I came up with on the fly because I'm still on the beginning of the actual next chapter. I've been busy with the end of school and flag (woohoo, I finally made it!) and general laziness of summer. I want to update, but battles are not my forte, so I've enlisted some help. Hopefully this will be done before 2008. I do not own Avatar or the lyrics by Within Temptation. The song is Bittersweet, and while it doesn't go 100 percent with this chapter, it does seem to suit Mai and Zuko. Enjoy!

* * *

_If I tell you  
Will you listen?  
Will you stay?  
Will you be here forever?  
Never go away?_

* * *

The dream was always the same. It began and ended in the particularly annoying manner that it always had. It was a dream that Mai loathed, and awaited. Ever since she watched that tiny ship disappear with not so much as a glint on the horizon, it came to her. And here Mai was again, donning her sleep clothes and settling into her bed. Ty Lee was already asleep across the room; it was far to late for anyone to still be awake. There was no use avoiding it any longer. The dream would come, sure, but then it would be gone. But it was also a distraction, for her thoughts were consumed with leaving on Zuko's tank train, unbeknownst to him, or anyone else for that matter. Mai could only hope that she would sleep deep enough to not remember the wanderings of her mind and be able to think clearly in the morning.

"_Yeah Right."_

With a flick of her wrist, the light was put out and the chamber was enveloped in night, only faint starlight streaming in through the balcony window. Mai attempted to will herself to not think about the dream. As the pulls of slumber courted her exhausted body, she closed her eyes. Exhaustion achieved its goal and got the better of Mai, and she slept.

* * *

_Never thought things would change  
Hold me tight  
Please don't say again  
That you have to go_

_A bitter thought  
I had it all  
But I just let it go  
Hold your silence  
It's so violent  
Since your gone_

* * *

But Mai knew better. Her mind was active again and she was there, in the same place as always. It was a room in the Fire Nation capital. Flowers stood in vases of a variety of sizes and colors. There were others there, too. Talking nonsense, to Mai's ears. They were bustling about below her, as it seemed she was positioned on some sort of elevation. And it dawned on her then as it always did. They were dressing her in some sort of elaborate garb. In the back of her mind, Mai would realize that there was some pressing engagement about to unfold. The robes were heavy, but the women continued to pack on layers, including a veil of red and gold silk. A word echoed in Mai's mind.

"_Wedding."_

Before she could grip the concept, the haze of sleep blurred the image. It was always here that there was a strange glitch, Agni knew why. When the thoughts settled and re-emerged, Mai knew where she stood. Inside the throne room, naturally. She had visited the grand hall only once or twice as a child, but it was not a place she intended to forget. There was a crowd lining the skirts of the room. All eyes were on her and Mai felt her skin crawl. Then she felt a touch. It was her father, taking her arm gracefully, his dull golden eyes beaming with pride. And then the march down the length of the room began and Mai could feel her hands shaking. This was _her_ wedding. It was always futile to try and steal a successful glance at her betrothed; a rather frustrating mental block presented itself each time. Mai did, however, catch the glint of a golden ornament in the handsomely dressed suitor's top-knot.

* * *

_All my thoughts are with you forever  
Until the day we'll be back together  
I will be waiting for you_

_If I had told you  
You would have listened  
You had stayed  
You would be here forever  
Never went away  
It would never have been the same  
All our time  
Would have been in vain  
Cause you had to go_

* * *

She stepped forward almost eagerly, but her father did not step accordingly. Turning with great care, Mai saw what hindered her sire. He sank to his knees, groaning in pain. There was a dagger in his back. One of _her_ daggers. Panic overtook her subconscious and the dream grew frantic. Then Mai felt the sting of steel slice into chest. Another dagger, this time from the front, unlike the one aimed at her now lifeless father, had struck into the bare flesh below her clavicle exposed by her robes. Mai bled. She felt the life draining from her and just as the pain seemed to intensify, she heard a laugh from further up the aisle. Mai craned her head, using the last of her strength, and saw the attacker. Azula. Then the scene reverted to black.

Mai did not awaken, however. Her mind's eye shifted views and began a new stream of thoughts. Mai found herself in a large plush bed. Thinking at first she had indeed stirred from her sleep, a calm cleared her mind. It then dawned on Mai that there was a new touch. She looked to see a lean, muscular arm draped over her slender figure. The man who also occupied the bed stroked Mai's arm gently, spreading warmth through her limbs. A name entered her thoughts.

"_Husband."_

He spoke, but once again she could not understand what he was saying or whose voice it was. Mai knew, however, that there was tenderness there, and something she had yet to experience, but could imagine what it was like. Love.

* * *

_The sweetest thought  
I had it all  
Cause I did let you go  
All our moments  
Keep me warm  
When you're gone_

_All my thoughts are with you forever  
Until the day we'll be back together  
I will be waiting for you_

* * *

And then Mai finally awoke. It was early, for the sun shone only pale rays into the room. She oriented her thoughts, knowing that she was in Ba Sing Se, not the Fire Nation. Disappointed that the dream was remembered in full, Mai frowned. At least the second sequence was just that; second. If the first was last, she would wake up in a cold sweat and never sleep again.

And yet now, from the first dream, Mai knew more than ever that she should follow her heart and abandon the safety of Azula's control. So Mai dressed. And then she left, uncertain of events to come.

* * *

AN: Now we see a bit more into Mai's motivation. Azula's a little back-stabber, no? Please review! 


	10. Only You Still My Heart : Finale

AN: Um...I'm kind of sad. It's finished. Well, I might add a little something later, but as of now, I'm done. I know many people were expecting a battle, but I opted to not write it. I apologize if that's what you've been waiting for. But, honestly, with Book 3 rapidly approaching, I don't want to write something that will put an image in people's heads of the actual finale, conscious or not. I'm not a fan of reading battles because of that. You get a set image that's hard to shake when it actually occurs in the show. Not that my writing is anything compared to what would actually happen. Yeah. There's some very sweet moments in the end (hopefully fairly IC ones), and is actually the majority of this chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for your support! It's what's been keeping me going since January.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The aftermath of battle was always alarming at best. The moment that Azula's body fell to the ground with a final and deafening thud, Zuko realized just how very exhausted he was. He looked to the others, first to Mai. Blood streamed into her eyes and down her face, bruises and gashes disturbingly apparent. But she was alive. Everyone was…he hoped. Suki lifted Ty Lee with as much deliberation and care as she was capable of, unaware of how serious her injuries were. Returning for retrieving his boomerang, Sokka stooped over Azula's unconscious form. He eyed her, ever suspicious, then looked to the Fire Nation prince.

"We shouldn't leave her. Even if she won't come to for a while."

Zuko mumbled something, composing his thoughts, and ended with what sounded like a "yeah". Scooping the fallen enemy into his arms and carefully over his shoulder was not difficult for Sokka and he was able to join Zuko and Mai, facing the palace. Mai fought to catch her breath, her chest heaving for air. And then the ground shook violently, throwing most of them horrible off-balance. A brilliant stream of light shattered the darkness of the nighttime sky. Zuko stared for a moment, knowing what it was. The Avatar. Their struggle would end soon. Shouts and cries joined the chaos raging in the air. If the Fire Lord triumphed, Zuko was not certain of what he would do. Fight his father? Abandon the Avatar? However, he was left without an answer. The noise and light settled after several timeless moments.

They ran. Heartbeats thundered in their ears and each step was like lifting lead bars. They ran faster.

----

"The Fire Lord is dead."

The words rang in Prince Zuko's ears loudly as Iroh spoke them. He didn't want to look. He didn't want to speak. In fact, Zuko didn't know what he wanted at all. He only knew that his body was beginning to shake with fatigue and yes, even sorrow. General Iroh offered a steady hand, placed on his nephew's shoulder, in commiseration. The Avatar and his party we also exhausted, and rightly so. Aang leaned on Katara for support, barely able to move.

The silence was unbearable. Their struggle was over. Realization after realization swarmed Zuko's mind and he felt that he might collapse. He was home. He was safe. He was Fire Lord. Or soon to be, anyway. It was much too much, much too soon. Zuko swayed a bit to the side.

"What now?" Katara asked quietly, almost as if she were amazing that they had been victorious. The question wasn't really directed to anyone specific. Iroh chose to answer.

"Not we must rest. There are still trials to come. Prince Zuko…" Iroh looked to the bruised and beaten prince. "There will be much to do in the days ahead. Our nation will be in a great struggle to end this war and adjust. As Fire Lord, you will have a great deal of responsibility resting on your shoulders. But it will all pass, in time."

Zuko offered a weary smile, nodding slowly. And then Katara noticed Suki and Ty Lee. Blood soaked the front on Suki's clothes and she gingerly placed the dying acrobat onto the smooth marble floor. The waterbender rushed to her side, drawing a great deal of water from her pouch. After a moment, Ty Lee's breath regulated, though she did not awaken.

"I don't know how much good that did. But Ty Lee's not in any immediate danger."

A great burden was, personally, lifted from Mai's shoulders. She looked to Zuko, who returned her expression of relief. The group of, essentially, heroes vacated the throne room, led by the natives of the palace to guest rooms and the like. Tomorrow was certainly going to be chaotic and busy. But it could wait.

----

His room was just the way he left it. The bed was made. Dust had collected on antiques and furniture alike. Prince Zuko, presently, ceased to care. In fact, the only thing he bothered to do was wash away most, certainly not all, of the dried blood in a quick bath and dress in some suitable nightclothes. It was very, very late, or perhaps very, very early. Either way, the prince, soon-to-be Fire Lord, collapsed into his bed for the first time in three years. He sighed deeply into the plush silk and pillow. Zuko was so incredible exhausted, physically and emotionally drained. The prince began to sob. No tears made their way from his eyes, though he almost wished they did. Zuko shook with choked out cries and moans. He was unable to stop and somehow, it was a vast release. His father was dead. Even if he was unable to regain his father's love and pride, Zuko still loved him. Evil intentions or no, Ozai had still been his father. He hadn't even spoken to him since he left all those years ago. Zuko felt himself beginning to sweat and his skin gradually seemed to increase in temperature. He was feeling rather ill, actually. The prince choked on his own breath with a gasp, unable to discontinue his sobs in the dark.

Suddenly, there was a cool pressure, a touch on his back that soothed the heat that radiated from his own skin. He stilled for a moment, unsure of the identity of the person who offered him such solace. Zuko pressed his face further into his pillow, regaining control over his breath. He could feel the sensation of nails lightly raking down his back. No longer concerned with identities, and being too exhausted to turn and look, and yet knowing in the back of his mind who it was, Zuko let Mai carry on with her noiseless massage for several more minutes. When had he last felt her touch? It seemed like ages ago, though it was only several hours prior.

Mai sat on the edge of his bed, softly breathing in his scent. The raven-haired lady knew that it had been bold to come into the Fire Lord to be's chambers, relationship notwithstanding. She'd seen the color drain from his face when they learned of the outcome of the end, when he was forced to say goodbye to his father, though he was already long gone. Almost uncharacteristically she'd thought to come to him and offer her shoulder. If he wanted to talk, she'd listen. If he had perchance, wanted to sit in silence and unreactive to her, fine. And in the event that he wanted to hold her close breathing gently whispering sweet nothings, well, that'd be even better. In fact, it would be rather ideal, but this was not about her. Mai mentally reprimanded herself briefly.

Zuko turned to face her, his eyes shining in the small bit of moonlight. The expression Mai was neither of contentment or a frown; it was more of sadness than anything. She remained hushed, but it was absolutely perfect. She did not need to come up with verbose speeches to soothe her prince, which he appreciated wholly. Zuko gradually sat upright, allowing Mai's slender hands to slide from his back and onto the bed. They sat there, without a word, for a quite some time, though not so much as to encourage any kind of discomfiture between them. Mai chose to lean into Zuko's chest, her unbound hair falling gracefully over one of her shoulders. Almost tentatively, she placed a light kiss on the underside of his jaw, lingering there for a moment. Zuko freed a contented sigh, closing his eyes as Mai slid her hand into his dark hair.

"I love you."

For a moment Zuko thought that perhaps he was hearing things. The words were soft and nearly inaudible. Had Mai's voice not been as naturally low as it was, it might have come out as a squeak. The look on her face, however, suggested that that was indeed what she had said. She peered at him from under her hair with gentle eyes, a warmth pooling in them. Zuko wrapped his arms around Mai's lean frame. She seemed to tense for a moment, as if by surprise, then relaxed further than she had been, faintly nuzzling into the curve of his neck. Mai could feel his breath with each exhale and the moment made her heart go into a tizzy of fast beats. The overwhelming sensation only furthered when she felt Zuko's lips press lightly into her cheek, and then again. Zuko continued his assault on her delicate features, peppering the side of her face with kisses, inching closer and closer to her mouth.

"I love you, too." Zuko whispered before meeting Mai's lips in a kiss of passion and fervor. And suddenly, the prince of the Fire Nation didn't feel so alone anymore. Zuko whispered soft nothings into his lover's ear. Mai felt like smiling. She did just that, her mouth very close to his. To her surprise, he smiled back.

Gazing sleepily at the prince, Mai let a satisfied sigh fall from her lips. Zuko ran his fingers through her thick, shiny hair, lying down with great care. With heavy-lidded eyes and exhaustion beyond any fathoming, the lady and prince drifted off into a peaceful slumber, dreaming of little joys of the past and those to come in the days to pass.

---------------------------------------------  
_  
She stares through my shadow  
She sees something more  
Believes there's a light in me  
She is sure  
And her truth makes me stronger  
Does she realize  
I awake every morning  
With her strength by my side_

_I am not a hero  
I am not an angel  
I am just a man  
Man who's trying to love her  
Unlike any other  
In her eyes I am_

_This world keeps on spinning  
Only she stills my heart  
She's my inspiration  
She's my northern star  
I don't count my possession  
All I call mine I will give her completely  
To the end of all time_

_I am not a hero  
I am not an angel  
I am just a man  
Man who's trying to love her  
Unlike any other  
In her eyes I am_

_In her eyes I see the sky and all I'll ever need  
In her eyes time passes by and she is with me_

_I am not a hero  
I am not an angel  
I am just a man  
Man who's trying to love her  
Unlike any other  
In her eyes I am  
In her eyes I am  
_  
----  
Song: In Her Eyes by Josh Groban  
Please review. Again, thank you for your support. Look for updated on my new story, Towards the End, soon.


End file.
